Hand-composed matrix in typographical line-casting machines



March 2, 1937. w. E. AYNGE 2,072,613

I HANDCOMPOSED MATRIX I TYPOGRAPHICAL LINE CASTING MACHINES Filed Nov.1, 1935 g'snee s-sneet 1 Patented Mar. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE HAND-COMPOSED MATRIX IN TYPOGRAPH- ICAL LINE-CASTING MACHINESMergenthaler Linotype Company,

Brooklyn,

N. "EL, a corporation of New York Application November 1, 1935, SerialNo. 47,740 In Great Britain November 8, 1934 6 Claims.

This invention relates to the use of handcomposed matrices intypographical line casting machines such as those known commerciallyunder the registered trade-mark Linotype, in

the normal operation of which circulating matrices stored in a magazineare released therefrom by the operation of the keyboard and assembled inorder of composition in a so-called assembler elevator from which thecomposed line is subsequently transferred to the casting mechanism.

It is sometimes desired to cast a few lines from a font of matrices notat the time carried in the machine or from matrices which are too large,or otherwise not intended for machine composition. In such cases it isusual for the operator to set up the line of matrices in the assemblerelevator by hand. It has, however, been proposed to adapt machines forthe frequent use of matrices not stored in the magazines by providingspecial forms of hand-sticks which, after the matrices are composedtherein, are either placed in the so-called first elevator by which thematrices are presented to the mould while still in the hand-stick, orare placed in the machine in a position enabling the line of matrices tobe transferred by hand from the stick into the first elevator. Thesearrangements necessitate alterations or additions to the machine partsto enable the hand-sticks to be used. Moreover, after casting thehand-composed matrices must be removed from the machine by hand.

The present invention contemplates a method of introducing a completeline of hand-composed matrices into the assembler elevator, which de- 5mands no change in the form of any member of the machine and permits theline of matrices to be controlled by the normal operations of themachine, from its introduction into the assembler elevator to the firststage of the distribution.

In carrying out the invention a line of matrices is first composed in aspecial hand-stick having means for releasably clamping the linethereon, the hand-stick is positioned against the assembler elevator,the line clamp released to permit 45 the matrices to fall by gravityinto the assembler elevator, and thereafter the line is sent away forcasting in the usual manner. After casting, the second elevator, bywhich matrices are normally conveyed to the distributing mechanism ofthe 50 machine, is stopped at an intermediate stage, as is usual for theremoval of hand-composed i matrices, and the hand-stick is applied tothe line then suspended from the second elevator head and the clampingdevice actuated to secure the 55 line onthestick, so that bymanipulation of the stick the line can be removed as a whole from theelevator head without handling the matrices.

The invention is hereinafter more particularly described with referenceto the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one constructionai form of hand-stickaccording to the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan of the hand-stick illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the viewed from the right of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of a portion of the assembling mechanismof a composing machine showing the method of applying the hand-stickthereto;

Figure 5 is a perspective View of a portion of the second elevator ofthe machine illustrating the use of the hand-stick in removing thematrices therefrom;

Figure 6 is a front elevation similar to Figure l of an alternativeconstructional form of handstick;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line l-'i of Figure 6, and

Figure 8 is an end elevation, similar to Figure 3, of the saidalternative construction.

Throughout the several figures of the drawings like reference numeralsare used to indicate like or corresponding parts.

The hand-stick illustrated in detail in Figures 1 to 3 may be mainly ofthe usual form comprising a matrix supporting shelf 1 on which thematrices are assembled between a normally fixed same as line abutment 2and an adjustable abutment 3 which is carried by a slide 4 embracing anotched flange 5 extending upwardly from the front of the shelf I alongone side thereof. This slide also carries a spring-controlled catch itnormally engaging one or other of the notches 'i of the flange 5 todetermine the position in which the adjustable abutment 3 is setaccording to the length of line to be composed, the limit of such lengthbeing determined by a stop i9 engaging a notch 28 in the horizontalflange of the abutment. The shelf is preferably provided with a scalemarked off in ems, as shown, to assist in positioning the abutment 3.

A convenient form of the clamping means required for carrying out thepresent invention, may be provided by so mounting the normally fixedabutment 2 in relation to thehand-stick that it may be moved inwardly toexert a clamping pressure on the line when desired.

According to the constructional form illustrated, the abutment 2 has alateral flange 8 slidably fitted within a dovetail slot 9 formed in theshelf I, and the flange 8 is secured, as by screws III, to a plate II atthe rear of the shelf I, which plate is formed with a rearwardlyprojecting lug I2. A plate I 3, secured by rivets I3a to the undersideof the shelf, is formed with a corresponding rearwardly projecting lugI4. Studs I5 extending inwardly from the lugs I2, I4, serve to support aspring I6 which retains the abutment 2 in its normal fixed position byholding the plate II against a fixed stop I! at the rear of the shelf Iwhich engages a notch I8 in the plate. The lugs I2, I4, thus form afinger and thumb grip by means of which the stick may be handled, andthe line clamped and released when desired.

In Figures 1 and 2 the hand-stick is shown with the adjustable abutment3 set for the composition of a line of 24 ems in length, and theabutment 2 in the normal position in which it is retained by the springIS.

The use of the hand-stick just described for the insertion of a composedmatrix line into the machine, is illustrated in Figure 4. The assemblingmechanism there represented is of known form, comprising an assemblerelevator 2| to which machine composed matrices are normally delivered bya rotating star wheel 22, and which is vertically movable in guides 24,25 on the fixed front plate 26 of the machine for delivery of the lineto the casting mechanism. The assembler elevator has the known hingedfront gate 23 and a front wall 21, forming with the rear wall (notshown) a channel in which the matrices are supported by their ears onrails projecting inwardly from said front and back walls.

When the composition of the line in the handstick has been completed,the lugs I2, I4 are gripped and the abutment 2 thereby actuated to clampthe line against the abutment 3. With the matrices thus secured againstdisplacement, the hand-stick is inserted and placed against theassembler elevator with the flange 5 uppermost and the edge 28 of theshelf I resting on the top surface of the assembler elevator front wall21, the hinged front gate 23 having been previously lowered to theposition indicated in Figure 4. The line clamping abutment 2 is thenreleased and moves outwardly under the action of the spring I6, thuspermitting the matrices to fall by gravity into the channel of theassembler elevator 2| to be supported therein in the usual manner by therails above mentioned. The removal of the hand-stick and the return ofthe gate 23 to its normal position then leaves the line in the assemblerelevator ready for the ascent of the latter to transfer the line to thecasting mechanism, according to the usual cycle of operations of themachine.

It should here be noted that the abutment 2 is recessed, as indicated at29 in Figure 3, to provide clearance for the star wheel 22 when thestick is held in position against the assembler, as above described.

The method of using the hand-stick for the removal of the line from themachine after casting, will now be described with reference to Figure 5.In the normal operation of the machine, the second elevator 30 serves inknown manner to convey a matrix line 32, suspended on the carrier bar3|, from the casting mechanism to the distributing mechanism by whichthe matrices are restored to the magazines of the machine. In the caseof lines of hand composed matrices, however, it is customary to arrestthe second elevator 30 in an intermediate position between the castingand distributing mechanisms, and to remove the matrices from the carrierbar 3I by hand, which, particularly when a number of slugs have beencast from a single line, necessitates waiting until the matrices aresufliciently cool to handle. The inconvenience of this procedure isavoided according to the present invention by the use of the hand-stickfor the removal of the line from the second e1evator in the arrestedposition of the latter. For this operation the hand-stick is used, asshown in Figure 5, in a position the reverse of that appropriate to theinsertion of the matrix line into the assembler, that is to say, thehand-stick is held with its flange 5 lowermost and is applied to thematrices suspended from the carrier bar 3|. The lugs I2, I 4, are thengripped to clamp the matrix line between the abutments 2, 3 and thestick moved endwise to slide the line as a whole off the carrier bar 3|.

The shelf I of the above described hand-stick has a plane surface onwhich the ears of the matrices rest and the spacing of the line may beaccomplished by the use of quads. The invention, however, contemplatesthe adaptation of the hand-stick for the use in the composed line ofspacebands of known form having ears which, when the spacebands areassembled in the composed line, extend beyond the plane of the ears ofthe matrices, and for such adaptation of the hand-stick the shelf may beprovided with grooves and/or rails for supporting the matrices andspacebands during the composition of the line, and means, preferablyactuated by the application of the stick to the assembler, whereby theelements of the line are disengaged from such grooves or rails andpermitted to fall by gravity into the assembler.

An example of a hand-stick, mainly of the same form as that hereinbeforedescribed, but modified with the just mentioned requirements in view, isillustrated in Figures 6 to 8. In these figures, the parts which areidentical, or substantially so, with parts hereinbefore described areidentified by the same reference numerals as those appertaining to therespective parts in Figures l to 5, and need not be further described.

In the said modified form of hand-stick, there is provided a movableassembling shelf 33, arranged to overlie the shell I and yieldinglysupported in spaced relation thereto by studs 34 passing through holesin the shelf I and encircled by springs 35. The line clamping abutment 2is carried by the shelf I as above described, and extends upwardlythrough a recess 36 at the re.- spective end of the shelf 33 with itsedges 31 (Figure 8) overlying the said shelf at each side of the recess,the latter being long enough to permit the line clamping movement of theabutment. The abutment 3 overlies the shelf 33 and is supported on theflange 5 by the slide 4, the stop I9 which determines the extremeposition of this abutment being in this instance passed through a holein the shelf 33 to permit of its engagement with the notch 26 on theabutment 3.

The shelf 33 is narrower than the shelf I so that its inner edge isspaced apart from the inner edge of the flange 5 a distancecorresponding to the width of the ears on the spacebands, the said earsbeing thus accommodated in the gap 39 be tween the shelf and flange whenthe spacebands are assembled in line, while the ears of the mat-Erice's,which are longer than those of the spacebands, rest on the shelf33 during composition.

The ends of the shelf 33 are formed with rearwardly and laterally offsetflanges 38 extending beyond the ends of the shelf I, which, when thehand-stick is applied to the assembler, come into engagement withrelatively fixed parts such as the intermediate channel plate 4| andassembler cover plate 42 (Figure 4) It will now be understood that,after the matrices and spacebands have been composed in the stick, withthe respective ears of the spacebands projecting into the gap 39, andwith the aid of an adjustable or removable support (not shown) for thelower ends of the spacebands, the line may be clamped as beforedescribed and applied to the assembler in such a manner that thespacebands are passed into the assembler channel from above and thehand-stick lowered to a position corresponding with that represented inFig-- ure 4. Inward pressure on the stick in this position, the flanges38 being held against inward movement, effects the disengagement of theshelf 33 from the spaceband ears, so that when the clamping pressure, onthe lugs l2, I4 is released, the matrices and spacebands drop by gravityto their correct position in the assembler. To ensure the release of thespacebands from the shelf 33, a rail or filler piece 40 may be provided,which fills the gap 39 between the shelf 33 and flange 5 when theshelves 33 and I are brought together against the action of the spring[6.

The constructional forms of hand-stick above described and illustratedon the drawings are chosen as convenient examples, and it is to beunderstood that variations and modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the invention.

Having described my invention, I declare that what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:-

1. A hand-stick comprising in combination a matrix supporting shelf, anadjustable line abutment, a normally fixed line abutment, and manuallyoperable means adapted to actuate said normally fixed abutment to clampa composed line.

2. A hand-stick comprising in combination a matrix supporting shelf, anadjustable line abutment, a second line abutment yieldingly held in afixed position relatively to the shelf and manually operabIe meansadapted to actuate said second abutment to exert a clamping pressure ona composed line between the two abutments.

3. A hand-stick comprising in combination a matrix supporting shelf, anadjustable line abutment, a normally fixed line abutment, a lateralflange on said normally fixed line abutment slidably fitted within adovetail slot in the shelf, a rearwardly projecting lug rigidlyconnected with said flange, a second rearwardly projecting lug rigidlysecured to the underside of the shelf and a spring acting between saidlugs to retain the flange and its associated abutment in the normalfixed position.

4. A hand-stick adapted to be applied to the assembler elevator of amatrix-composing machine for the transfer to said elevator of a handcomposed line of matrices and spacebands, comprising means adapted tosupport matrices and spacebands by their ears during composition,manually operable line clamping means mounted independently of saidsupporting means, and means operable automatically by the application ofthe hand-stick to the assembler to release the matrices and spacebandsfrom said supporting means.

5. A hand-stick comprising in combination a matrix supporting shelf, anadjustable line abutment, a normally fixed line abutment mounted for alimited inward movement to clamp the composed line, and a pair ofclosely spaced gripping members capable of being grasped by one hand,one of said members being fixed to the shelf and the other connected tothe normally fixed abutment.

6. A hand stick comprising in combination a matrix supporting shelf, apair of abutments between which the line is composed, one of saidabutments having a limited inward movement from its normal position toclamp the composed line, and a pair of closely spaced gripping memberscapable of being grasped by one hand, one of said members beingconnected to the inwardly movable abutment, whereby the hand pressureexerted on said gripping members in manipulating the hand-stick will betransmitted to the movable abutment and thus utilized to clamp thecomposed line.

WILLIAM E. AYNGE.

